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Live 8 a victory for people power


3/ 7/2005

ENDING poverty in Africa will not be achieved during this week's G8 summit but is the work of a lifetime, Chancellor Gordon Brown has cautioned.

However, Mr Brown said he did not believe people's expectations of the summit at Gleneagles were unrealistic.

He stressed that agreement on two key areas - 100% debt relief and a doubling of aid for the poorest countries - had already been reached.

Mr Brown hailed the Live 8 spectacular as an example of Britain at its best and proof that "people can have power if they make their views felt".

Speaking as the world's most powerful leaders gather in Scotland to hammer out a deal on Africa, he said: "It is not a week's work at the G8 that is going to determine the long-term future of Africa or the developing countries.

Justice

"It is a lifetime's work where we empower the people of Africa and the developing countries to make decisions for themselves," he told BBC News 24's Sunday programme.

Comparing Saturday's concert to the 1985 Live Aid concert to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia, he said: "In 1984 it was about charity, raising money for charity, when it was Live Aid.

"Today it's about a campaign for justice and empowerment for millions of people round the world and to work in partnership with them so they have the healthcare, the education and the ability to trade and have economic development that is absolutely essential for the future."

Speaking from his constituency home in Fife, Mr Brown rejected suggestions that Live 8 and the weekend's protest marches had raised expectations for the summit too high.

"No I don't think so because we have already seen an agreement in the last few days for 100% debt relief for the poorest countries. So what people have been acting about over the last few months in this great campaign which has captured the imagination of the nation, the first element of it - 100% debt relief for the poorest countries - is already agreed."

What did you think of Live 8? Have your say.


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(57)


Most recent 2 of 57 user comments

   On July 2, 2005 My son of 20 years and myself where at Hyde Park for the concert of a life time. I brought my son over from the states with me to witness and be a part of the greatest event in life. We met some of the most beautiful people from all over. We stood in line at Piccadly for 2 hrs to recieve tickets for the screened area. It is something I will never forget sharing with my son.
Marie Sztubinski, Philadelphia USA
27/11/2005 at 17:08

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   live 8 was, good even tho i am only 16 i still support it and i reguraly view, the website we need to show how we can pull together as a nation and as an world to help thoose less fortunate than ourselves... to help thousands in depsrate need of health care and clean water and food. we need to work as a team, and continue efforts even when it looks beyond possibility, so i say tomorrow or whenever you read this you remind your friends about live 8, and ask if they have read about whats happened and whether they support it and just generally remind people the fight is still happening, we are still among the top 10 % of the worlds richest contrys and we need to show that we aren't selfisah and we do go to thoose in need !!
rob palmer, lavenham, suffolk
29/10/2005 at 23:28

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